Brake beam



2 s`HEETs-sHE-ET1.

Jan. 30, 1923.

E. C. WASHBURN.

BRAKE BEAM. v FILED JUNE I8. 1920 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A ELBGTROSTATIO GENERATING MACHINE.

No. 608,041. Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

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Il, i: ai d Ll/ I ,Patented Jaa. 3o, 1923.

PATE? orifice.

4EnvvrN c. WASHBUEN, on ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY. v

BRAKE BEAM.

Application led June 18,

To allfwkommay'concem;

Be 'it known that I, EDWIN C. WASH- BURN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Englewood, in the county of Bergenl and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBrake Beams; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact,description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. V

My present invention providesh an im- -proved brake beam and includes also an improved process of making the same. A novel feature @of the invention consists in rst in dependently forming the compression and tension members of the beam, in connecting a.swiveled strut to the intermediate por.- tions of these members byv casting coupling brackets onto the same, and connecting the ends of said compression and tension members by casting hubs thereon.

T'he invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 shows the`r improved brake beam and a connected brake shoe head, partly in elevation and partly in vertical section, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1/some parts being sectioned;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2; l

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing one end of the beam;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the brake shoe head; y j

Fig. 6 is a perspective View showing one end of the compression member 'of the beam before it has been completely formed; and

Fig. 7 is a view corresponding to Fig. 6 but showing the completely formed end oiz said compression member.

The numerals 8 and 9 indicate, respectively, the compression and tensionv members of the beam', the former being a rolled channel, and the latter being a heavy rod.

Both of said members are, of course, independently cut to proper length and the tension member 9 is bent to proper form.

The numeral 10 indicates a swiveled strut which is formed independently of the compression and tension members, preferably 1920. serial No. 389,996.

by casting, -is provided with a .rectangular .passage 11 and with `headed swiveled studs v12 at its ends. The/strut 10 is provided Inthe process of making this beam, the.

vproperly formed compression and tension members 8 and 9 are placed` in proper relative positions, and the strut 10-is properly ypositioned between the same; and then conical hubs 14 are cast directly against and o'nto the-ends of the'said members 8 and 9, and coupling blocks' 15 and 16 are, respectively, cast around the intermediate portion of the compression member 8 and onto the adjacent headed stud v12, and around the intermediate portion of the tension member 9 and onto the adjacent headed stud 12.

The hubs 14 and coupling blocks 15 and 16 will, of course,.be formed by the use of suitable molds placed around the members. To

prevent the blocks 15 and 16 from beingl castv fast to the. headed studs 12, the latter are coated or painted with sand or a solution containing sand, so that when the meta-l has cooled, the strut 10 will be swiveled, that is, capable of 'angular oscillation on its longitudinal axis.

To -insure a good connection between the ends of the compression members or channels 8 and the hubs 14, the webs of said members 8, at their'ends, are cut away to form V-shaped notches 8a shown in Fig. 6, and then these end portions are pressed together, as shown in Fig. 7, so that the ends of the members 8 are tapered.

The tension members or rod 9 are threaded, project beyond the hubs 14,y and are provided with nuts 17.

The numeral 18 indicates one of the brake beam heads,`the same being providedI with tapered conical sockets 19 that fit the hubs 14. The threaded ends of the compression member or rod 9 project through the outer walls ,ofthe heads 18 and, when the nuts 17 are tightened against the same, the said heads will be rigidly secured to said hubs. The said heads 18, however, are capable of rotative adjustments about hubs 14 so as to bring the shoes into thewheels.

The swiveled strut 10is, as is obvious, Capable 0f OSCHBGOII, either toward the proper contact with right or toward the left, so as to set the 4same for use at either end of the truck, or for levers that incline in either direction.

The brake beam construction, as described, may be made at comparatively small cost, is very strong and durable, and generally efficient for the purposes had in view, and for a given weight, has a maximum of strength. It may be made chiefly from commercial iron and the foundry work is reduced to a minimum.

`What I claim is:

1. A brake beam having independently formed compression and tension members rigidly and permanently united lby metal cast around the same. s

2. A brake beam having independently formed compression and tension members rigidly and permanently united by metal cast around the same, both at the intermediate and end portions of said members.

3. A brake beam comprising compression and tension members and a strut formed independently thereof, said compressionnd tension members being connected at their ends by hubs cast fast thereto, and said strut being connected to the intermediate. portions of said compressionV and tension members with freedom for swiveled movements, by metal blocks cast loosely to the ends thereof and cast fast to said compression and tension members. v

4, A brake beam having independently formed compression and vtension members rigidly and permanently united by metal cast fast thereto, both at the intermediate and end portions of said members, said tension member having threaded nut-equi ped ends that project beyond the ends o the compression member and are adapted to secure brake shoe heads to the ends of Said beam.

5. A brake beam comprising compression and tension members and a strut formed independently thereof, said compression and 'tension members being connected at their ends by hubs cast fast thereto, and said strut beingconnected to the intermediate portions of said compression and tension members with freedom for swiveled movements, by metal blocks cast loosely to the ends thereof and cast fast to said compression and tens1on members, said tension members having threaded nut-equipped ends that project beyond said hubs and are adapted to secure brake shoe heads to said hub.

6. A brake beam comprising compression and tension members and a strut formed independently thereof, said compression and tension members being connected at their ends by hubs cast fast thereto, and said strut being connected to the intermediate portions of said compression and. tension members with freedom for swiveled mover ments, by metal blocks cast loosely tothe .'which consists, first vin independently form- Lineasoe ends thereof and cast fast to said compressionand tension members, said tension members having threaded nut-equipped ends that project beyond said hubs and are adaptedto secure `brake shoe heads to said hub, the said hubs and seats therefor in said heads being tapered, and said heads being rotatively adjustable on said hubs.

he process of making brake beams ing compression and tension` members, and

'e in thereafter rigidly connecting said members by metal cast around the ends of the same and to the intermediate portions thereof. y

8. The process of making brake beams which consists in independently forming compression and tension members and a strut, and connecting the ends of said compression and tension members by casting hubs fast thereto, and in connecting the ends of said strut to the intermediate portions of said compression and tension members with freedom forl swiveled movements, by castingblocks fast-to said compression and tension members and loosely against the ends of said strut.

9. A strut structure formed of a plurality of relatively movable members cast together.

10. A brake beam having independently formed compression and tension members rigidly and permanently united by metal cast around the same, said tension member having threaded nut-equipped endsthat pro`- ject beyond the ends of the compressionloo member and are adapted to secure brake shoe heads to the ends of said beam.

11. The process of making brake beams which consists in independently forming compression and tension members and there- 105 after rigidly connecting said members by metal cast around the portions to be joined.

12. A truss having its compression and tension members held apart by a strut cast to `each member.

13. A truss having its compression and tension members held apart by a' strut comprising three parts, one of which is cast to the compression and one to the tension member.

14C. The structure set forth in claim 13, the third part of said strut being arranged to turn between the other two.

15. A truss having a three-part cast strut `havinga central portion, said central porand an end portion east about said head, said center portion having rotary movement.

19. A truss comprising a strut having a central opening therein and having metal cast about its ends for connection With the truss members.

`20. A brake beam having inl combination, a compression member, a tension member, said members being rigidly and permanently united at their end portions, a member east to said compression member at the center thereof, and extending toward the tension member, and `a member east to said tension member at the center thereof and eX- tending toward said compression member, said last mentioned members being east about a member extending therebetween and rotatably mounted therein.

In testimony whereof I afHX my signature.

EDWIN C. WASHBURN. 

